


To Tame

by chicago_ruth



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Body Modification, Force Feeding, M/M, Psychological Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-13
Updated: 2012-04-13
Packaged: 2017-11-03 13:28:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/381830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chicago_ruth/pseuds/chicago_ruth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is kept chained in the caves underneath Camelot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Tame

**Author's Note:**

  * For [einahpets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/einahpets/gifts).



> No actual rape, but everything in this fic is non-con. Read at your own discretion.

"I've been told that you haven't been eating," Merlin says.

Arthur doesn't have the energy to snarl. He might have, just a month ago. He would have, an age ago.

But Arthur _hasn't_ been eating, hasn't felt the need to put up a fight. His body just hangs from the chains, and he can't straighten his knees, he can't put weight on his feet to lift the strain from his arms.

He can't even spit at Merlin, because there is no moisture left in his mouth.

Some part of him wonders how he is even still alive. The caves under the castle are dank and cold, and Arthur is kept chained naked, with no protection. He hasn't eaten in... he doesn't remember how many days it's been, there is no way to mark the passage of time. Arthur doesn't even have the luxury of movement to keep himself distracted.

There is nothing in the dark except him.

Even when servants try to feed him, they do it in the dark. He can't see their faces, and they don't speak to him. The food tastes like pig slop. He gave up putting in the effort to swallow.

But Merlin brings light with him, a magical flame that illuminates the cave and pierces Arthur's eyes. Merlin brings fresh water to wash Arthur with, and he whispers cruel words to Arthur.

"You aren't allowed to die," Merlin says, stepping closer. He lifts something up to Arthur's mouth; Arthur can't tell what it is before Merlin coaxes Arthur's mouth open and pours something inside.

Wine.

It's sweet, spreading across Arthur's tongue in sharp contrast to the gruel he gets fed in the dark. Arthur tries to spit it out, but Merlin keeps pouring, and his other hand starts rubbing against Arthur's throat. Arthur feels tears leaking out of his eyes as he involuntarily swallows.

"That's a good boy," Merlin whispers soothingly, and Arthur hates how much those words seem to fill the dark corners inside him.

Arthur doesn't fight it when Merlin feeds him fruit, is only grateful to have something to drown out the dullness that his life has become. Merlin's touches are welcome when compared to the sheer nothing he has otherwise. He can lean on Merlin -- has to lean on Merlin, because there is no other way to take away the pain.

Only sometimes, Merlin kisses his jaw and whispers, "we're going on a trip today."

Arthur finds his voice, manages to say, "No," all cracked and broken. His body slides to the floor when Merlin undoes the chains, but his legs refuse to heed his call to move.

There is nothing he can do when Merlin begins speaking in tongues, and Arthur finds all of his aches magnified, so much that he screams, until his hoarse shouting becomes a pathetic roar. His joints are curled in the wrong direction, the light in the cave intensifies, and fire seems to burn inside him.

Merlin's hand travels along his jaw -- his scaled, unnatural jaw -- and he smiles. "That's a good dragon. Hold still."

This is worse: when Arthur is small and chained, he knows he is too weak to make an escape; when Arthur is large and free, the only thing that binds him are Merlin's words, and they are a stronger cage than any metal could be.

He can barely think, with the need to fulfill Merlin's desires running through his blood. They will fly through the skies of Camelot; Merlin will feed him lamb stolen from a farm, and make him drink from waterfalls.

And Arthur will only vaguely be able to regret having killed a dragon, once before.


End file.
